So tonight I decided to go off-road with my buddy, and I made a rookie mistake and I hope it won't cost me too much. The mistake was I didn't get out and check what I couldn't see. :banghead:

So I went over a ledge thinking it was a gradual decline, but NOPE it was a mothereffing drop, from a random concrete slab! IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOODS! Long story short, my TJ bottomed out on the skid plate, both wheels were on the ground though, so I thought I could drive it forward to get it off, and I did, but I broke a U-Joint (I'm 99% positive that's what it is). This next part is what scares me the most, I looked underneath after I got off the rock and I saw wetness on the front of my tranny and the back of my oil pan, also all up in between the two, up to the transfer case. I immediately check my oil pressure and it's fine. My question is: is it possible that when the front of the jeep went over the edge for some of the transmission fluid to have leaked out, or did I break something? It seems to shift fine, and switch from 2WD to 4WD fine, but I hear this god awful rattle noise whenever I start/shut off the jeep, also when I'm driving I hear a grinding sound. Are both those sounds the U-joint?

also is a U-joint something I need to replace ASAP or can it wait until payday?

Thanks for any input!

JohnDoe

12-01-2013 04:04 AM

I'm not sure about the other stuff but the u-joints are easy to spot, if you get under your jeep wiggle the drive shaft back and forth and there's a lot of play. Bam, busted ujoint. Grab a spicer joint for 30 bucks and pop that sucker in by yourself. Replace it ASAP, don't wait to long like I did.. I ended up picking up my rear driveshaft off the street. Had to get a new yoke for the rear axle because one of the ujoint strap screws just snapped. Turned into a 100 ordeal :banghead:

Oh and don't worry about the rookie mistake, we all do dumb things in our jeeps :thumb:

jeepers29

12-01-2013 07:57 AM

As JohnDoe stated, replace the ujoint asap. Also, I would find out where that fluid is coming from now. If you broke something loose in the tranny or trans box you do not want to let it go until lots of damage is done.

CPRJeeper

12-01-2013 12:23 PM

How can I pin point the leak?

C.L.

12-01-2013 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPRJeeper
(Post 6491706)

How can I pin point the leak?

Blast everything with brake cleaner to get a starting point, then see where the first drips of oil/ATF come from.

Any bad vibrations in the driveline once you get up to speed? If you dropped off a ledge square enough, you may have hit your front driveshaft on it.

hosejockey61

12-01-2013 12:42 PM

PICTURES will help...

Alien Jeepers

12-01-2013 01:02 PM

What about the stall converter? that goes between the tranny and engine and gets filled with diff fluid.

To repeat what the PP said, brake cleaner blast everything and or grab an old towel and wipe everything down and then wait for the slow leak..

May need to turn on the jeep in order to see it leak

DO wear safety glasses man... please.

Good Luck and def snap some photos and videos with your cell phone....

AOR

12-01-2013 01:25 PM

Pull the inspection cover to see if you have ATf in the bell housing. Clean throughly with brake cleaner on rag. Do not spray in there so you won't hit the seal with any. Leave the cover off if you want (only while waiting for leak test results). Put back on before you drive. <<< I know that is common knowledge, just making sure it is in your head. You never knnow when an emergency beer run is necessary and you'll forget.

Good chance you just had the leak when ass over tea kettle. Fix the joint and any other visible damage. Start grabbing and shaking things around you think may have been contacted. Check all hardware torque.

ChasUGC

12-01-2013 06:22 PM

Most importantly, DON'T wait until payday. If you must, DON'T even drive the Jeep. You will just make matters worse. In other words, don't make another rookie mistake.

MosesTJ

12-01-2013 08:14 PM

Hell, if you think it's in the front drive shaft take it out and drive on thill payday.

CPRJeeper

12-02-2013 02:43 PM

found the rattle

So I took it to my guy and he checked out the U Joints and he said they were fine, but what we did find is that my back bumper was broken by the concrete slab hitting it after my back wheels got off the the concrete slab. So now the exhaust pipe is hitting a part of the bumper. Something that he noticed was that the bushing of the steering stabilizer was bent or something like that. I'll get pictures up in a little bit after I finish my paper. as for the transmission, I can't see any leaking what so ever anymore, and its still running fine.

lmike6453

12-04-2013 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPRJeeper
(Post 6513730)

So I took it to my guy and he checked out the U Joints and he said they were fine, but what we did find is that my back bumper was broken by the concrete slab hitting it after my back wheels got off the the concrete slab. So now the exhaust pipe is hitting a part of the bumper. Something that he noticed was that the bushing of the steering stabilizer was bent or something like that. I'll get pictures up in a little bit after I finish my paper. as for the transmission, I can't see any leaking what so ever anymore, and its still running fine.

You seem pretty lucky if that's all that's going on with it. About how high up was the drop? Sounds like it was bad like driving off a cliff lol

lk2dson

12-04-2013 08:22 PM

Stories like this make my heart feel warm with the joy of knowing that another Jeep is getting used appropriately! We are/were all beginners at some point. You are already doing what you need to be doing... and that is just getting out there.

As far as the repairs, you are already ahead of that game too. It's great to have a good relationship with a mechanic that will help you out. Just make sure you always appreciate their time $$$. Little by little you'll start getting your hands dirty on repairs to save money. But you'll need your mechanic "buddy" to bail you out from time to time.